Sidehill ladder



Jan. 16, 1923. 1,442,694

W. MARTIN SIDEHILL LADDER FILED JAN 19, 192Dv 2 SHEETSSHEET I Lave/ iz Jan. 16, 1923. 1,442,694

W. MARTIN. SIDEHiLL LADDER Fun-:0 JAN 19. 192B 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 haw- Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES WEAVER MARTIN, OF LAFAYETTE, OREGON.

SIDEHILL LADDER.

Application filed January 19, 1920. Serial No. 352,351.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, lVnAvni: Mmrrix, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette in the county of Yamhill and State of regon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sidchill Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ladders and more particularly to a ladder having novel means whereby the same may be positioned vertically on a hillside or other incline.

An important object of this invention is to provide a ladder having a relatively large base pivotally supporting the ladder and adapted to be adjusted whereby the ladder may be positioned at any desired angle with relation to the base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ladder of the class described which is of highly simplified constructioin convenient to adjust and cheap to manufacture.

()ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective oi": a ladder cinbodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the same,

Figure 4: is a fragmentary perspective of the ladder having a slightly modified form of adjusting means,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the ladder extended,

Figure 6 is a group perspective of a looking device embodied in the invention, and

Figure T is a detail horizontal section through the ladder illustrating lllt' locking; device.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preterred embodiment of the inventirnn the numeral 5 new orally designates a, ladder having :1 pair of standards 6 connected by spa ed parallel rungs or steps 7. The ladder which may be of any desired type is provided with a top 8 to which is secured a pair of depending alined apertured ears 9 forming a support or rod 10. A bracing designated by the numeral 11 is provided with a pair of adjustable sections 12 and 13 slidably connected by a pair of spaced U-shaped straps 14 which as illustrated in Figure 1 are rigidly secured to the lower section 13. The upper and lower sections 12 and 13 are provided with openings or apertures 15 which are adapted to he brought into registration for receiving a locking device 16 which in this case is a cotter pin. However the locking device 16 may be in the form of a spring pressed latch carried by either of the sections and adapted to engage the coacting section. As illustrated in F igure 2, the upper end portion of the section 12 is rotatahly connected to the shaft 10 by a pair of outwardly diverging bracing bars or rods 17 rigidly secured to the section 12 at a point spaced from its upper end by a pair of bolts 18. As is obvious from Figure 1. the prop 11 may be positioned at a desired angle for correspondingly positioning the body portion of the ladder.

To permit of the use of the ladder on a hillside or other incline, a beam 19 is horizontally pivoted to the bottom rung 7 of the ladder through the medium of a detachable bolt 20. The lower rung 7 has its rear side flush with the rear side of the standards 6 and is therefore in contact with the adjacent side of the beam for providing a frictional contact between the ladder and the beam whereby when the ladder is arranged at an angle, movement of the same with relation to the beam is eliminated. Further, the lower end portions of the standards extend beyond the under side of the beam to such an extent that regardless of the position of the ladder with relation to the beam the standards will always be in contact with the adjacent side of the beam. The outer end portions of the beam 19 are rigidly connected to anchoring legs 21 which are preferably positioned at an angle of about 4!?" so that when. the beam is positioned on the side of a hill one of the anchoring lens 21 will be disposed at a slight angle to the ground and will therefore be prevented from slipping or breaking as would be the case in the event that the legs 21 were positioned at right angles to the beam. The upper end portions of the anchoring legs 21 are bifurcated to provide attaching portions 22 arranged on opposite sides of thebeam719 for a transverse shaft leg or prop generally Gil and rigidly secured to the same b v tasted ing lleviees Q l \rhi h may be. bolls, nails m the like.

An adjusting devil-e Al elearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 is adapted for securely positionin; the ladder in an upright position when it is desired to use. the same on a hillside. The adjusting (iGYlt'Q ll includes a tubular member slidably reeeiviu; a solid section 26 which is provided with transverse openings 27 adapted to align or register with transverse openings 28 for the reception of a locking device. The lfit'klfilj device 29 in this ease is in the form of a (otter pin though it is obvious that the same is eapable of various modifieutions or other mechanical expressions. The lower end portion of the solid section 26 is flattened and apertured to provide an ear fltl through which is extended a pivot element 'll eon neoted to one of the anchoring members 2]. The upper end portion of the tubular section is connected to a pair of apertured ears 32 forming a part of a bracket 33 which is rigidly secured to the adjacent side of the ladder by fastening devices 34. The adjusting device also serves to secure the ladder in a set position when on level ground. I do not; however. restrict myself to the speeih'e eonstruction of the adjusting device as shown.

In the modified form oi the invention illustrated in Figure the telescopic member 25 is extended to the opposite side of the ladder and is connected to a bracket ll?) havin a pivot bolt 36 extending rearwardly there rom. A nut 37 is threaded on the pivot bolt 36 and is adapted to secure the upper end portion of the tubular member 25 in position. This form of the invention is especially adapted for use where a. relatively short ladder is employed and it is desired to provide means whereby the same may be adjusted over a comparatively wide range. Obviously in extending the tubular member across the rear Side of the ladder the entire adjusting device 2% would necessarily be of an increased length and would therefore be eapable of greater movement. However. the upper end portion of the tubular member 25 may be secured to the rear side o'l one oi the steps with equal expedieney.

If desired the prop 11 may be locked to the rear side of the ladder to permit the prop to be engaged with the crotch ot a tree when desired. More specifically. the lower section 13 of the prop may be reversed n its position with relation to the upper P er-- tion 12 by simply sliding the U-shaprd straps 14 off of the upper section and reap plying the straps to the upper seetion with the lower end of the lower section '1? in the position illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the upper section 13 is shown extended above the top of the ladder and engaging one limb of a tree'38; By this construction the rear prop ma be utilized for securing the ladder in a sinstantially uprhrht position at a point spaced from the trunk of the tree so that access may be had to the outer portions ol' the tree branches. Howereig the station 13 may be arrangwl in the position illustrat ed in Figure 5 when it is desired to put the ladder to other uses than the speeifie use illustrated. When the prop is employed in the manner illustrated in l igure the lower st tion it s loehrd to one of the run o's ol' the ladder by a locking deriee 39.

\lith' IGfQIQIH'P to Figures ll and T, it will be noted that the locking device 19 is in the form ol :1 base plate having plurality of spared apertured ears or lugs 40 Whieh receive a bolt ll normally pressed forwardly by a coil spring 42. The lower end portion of the section 9 is received between two of the ears M and provided in its inner side with a transverse groove 43 which receives the locking bolt 41. A strap 44 is extended across the groove or slot 43 and is adapted to retain the locking bolt within the groove so that the upper section 12 is securely looked to the ladder. it will be noted that the strap or plate 44: is countersunk so as not to interfere with the sliding movement of the U-shaped straps on the upper seetion 13.

When the ladder is to be used as illustrated in Figure the lower section 13 is removed from engagement with the upper seetie'in 12 so as to permit the lower section l3 to be reversed and reapplied to the upper section. When in the position illustrated in Figure 5. the section 13 whirh now becomes the upper seetion. may be adjusted longitudinally or the ladder with as much eonvenienee as when the same was in the position illustratiul in l ie'ure 1. This enables the section 1 to be engaged with any relatively stationary obiert within the limits of the adjustment of the prop. When it is desired to return the section 12% to its lower position, the same may be diseujfaffed from the ection 1: and subsequently reauigaged with said sei-tion l2 with its free end downwardly instead of upwardly as was formerly the ease. The lo king; bolt ll is of eourse disengaged From the upper sw-liou 1:. so as to permit the prop to e positioned as desired.

Assumhnr that it is desired to use the ladder on a hillside. the ladder may be adjusted to the desired incline with relation to the slope of the hill and may be read ly secured in rosition by the adjusting derive l 1. To compensate for any inequalities lII the hill side. the length o the. prop may be adjusted to the proper length. Also it it is desired t arrange. the ladder on a hillside with tho bra ing; leg; ll Faringthe top of the bill. the length ol the leg may be lessened for positioning the ladder at a slight incline.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is llf) to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that such minor ehanges may be made as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the seope of what is claimed.

Having thus described what is claimed as new is:

A ladder comprising stiles. a eonnertiug member extending between the lower por tious of the stiles above the lmver extremities thereof and having its rear face spaced forwardly from the plane of the rear edges of the stiles. a supporting beam extending transversely of the stiles and bearing against the in vention,

15 the rear edges thereof, supporting feet secured rigidly to the end of the beam and diverging downwardly therefrom. a. bolt fitted pivotally througl'i the iulern'unliate portion of the beam and through the connecting Inen'iher and adapted to bind the said beam against the rear edges of the stiles, and a telescopic brave having its upper end pivotally secured to a stile at a. fixed point. the end of the brace and the pivotal mounting thereof being entirely in rear of the front edge of the stile and the lower end of the brace being pivotally attached to the foot at one end of the beam.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

WEAVER MARTIN. [1,. s.] 

